Great African Journey

40 days from £3,449

£49 Deposit

An incredible journey through 8 African countries

An incredible journey through 8 African countries

+19

Serengeti safari student and gap year toursKenyaSundowners on the shores of Lake MalawiKenyaMokoro safari on the Okavango DeltaKenyaWoodcarvings and souvenir shopping in East AfricaKenyaKenya to Cape Town overlandKenyaIconic red dunes of the Namibian desertKenyaNamibia Desert - sand boardingKenyaShop for souvenirs and curios in AfricaKenyaAncient bushman artwork in NamibiaKenyaOkavango Delta SunsetKenyaOverland journey from Kenya to South AfricaKenyaAfrica overland tours and campingKenyaFully equipped overland trucks for Africa gap yearsKenyaSafaris and game drives in AfricaKenyaAfrica overland travel and cultural experiencesKenyaVictoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia borderKenyaGap year tours AfricaKenyaZanzibar sunsetsKenyaLocal experiences on Lake MalawiKenyaIdyllic shores of Lake MalawiKenyaElephants in Damaraland, NamibiaKenyaZanzibar beachside blissKenyaSossusvlei and dead vlei, NamibiaKenya

8 countries in 40 days

Kenya to South Africa

Loads of inclusions!

Trip Highlights

Go on wildlife safaris in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Etosha

Climb some of the highest sand dunes in the world in the Namib Desert

Travel by canoe through the Okavango Delta in Botswana

Try out a whole host of exciting activities at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe

Travel to the beautiful island of Zanzibar and spend time on the pristine beaches

Camp out under the starry African sky and experience traditional African culture

Trip Summary

Spend an incredible 40 days travelling through Africa on a unique experience of tradition, culture, wildlife encounters, and true adventure. You’ll start your journey in Kenya and from there, make your way through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and then finally into South Africa. On the way, you’ll go on different safari adventures, enjoy plenty of beach time, get to set up camp in some of the most beautiful national parks, you’ll meet local tribespeople and learn about the local traditions and different cultures, and you’ll get to try out a whole range of different activities, from sandboarding down some of the biggest sand dunes in the world to getting soaked by the huge cascades of Victoria Falls. Let’s go on the adventure of a lifetime!

Interested and want to find out more? Download more trip information and detailed itinerary HERE!

Trip Info

Day 1: Nairobi, Kenya

Depending on the time you arrive, you might have the opportunity to explore Nairobi’s vibrant city centre. Be sure to check out one of the brilliant museums or take a trip to the local elephant orphanage. This evening, you’ll meet your guides and the rest of your group.

Day 2: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania

We’ll spend the majority of today travelling from Kenya to Tanzania. We’ll drive through some really beautiful countryside, and by late afternoon/early evening, we’ll have arrived at our campsite, where we’ll get settled before relaxing with dinner and drinks around the camp fire.

Day 3: Arusha to Serengeti National Park

We’re going on a real adventure over the next few days, starting things off by swapping our trusty tour bus for some specialised 4x4s, the group will be split over several vehicles to head into the Serengeti. You’ll go on a magical safari, visiting the national park’s most wildlife-dense areas to go in search of lions, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, giraffe and more.

Day 4: Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro

Spend the morning out on safari again and get to see more wildlife in different areas of the park. Afterwards, we’ll head back to camp to stop for lunch before packing up and making our way to the Ngorongoro Crater rim – a huge crater in a conservation area known as one of Africa’s best wildlife viewing areas.

Day 5: Ngorongoro/Arusha

It’s an early start as we make our way to the crater floor to catch a glimpse of the Maasai herdsmen walking through the mist and then into the crater itself to get the best views of all the different animals. We’ll leave Ngorongoro by the end of the morning to make our way back to Arusha.

Day 6: Arusha/Bagamoyo

Climbing back onto the tour bus, we’ll make our way towards the Indian Ocean coast as we drive to Bagamoyo– keep your eyes peeled for Mt Kilimanjaro! On arrival, you’ll have the opportunity to discover more about this place before setting up camp and enjoying an evening under the stars.

Day 7: Bagamoyo/Nungwi

From Bagamoyo we’ll make our way to Dar es Salaam and hop on the ferry to beautiful Zanzibar. On arrival, we’ll drive to Nungwi where we’ll get to relax on the stunning white sand beach, spend the afternoon snorkelling or diving, or simply take a wander around the village.

Day 8: Nungwi

Another day in paradise! You’ll have the whole day to yourself today, so decide what activities you’d like to take part in, whether you fancy going on a sailing trip or guided forest tour, or simply while away the hours on the beach.

Day 9 Nungwi/Stone Town

We’ll drive to the heart of Zanzibar, into Stone Town, today to explore the maze of narrow, cobbled lanes and enchanting Arabic buildings. Take a wander through the streets and get lost in the array of cafes and local shops before touring the local spice plantation, where you’ll get to learn about the different uses of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon grass.

Day 10: Stone Town/Baobab Valley

We’ll wave goodbye to Zanzibar today as we cross the water back to the mainland and travel west from Dar es Salaam to the Baobab Valley to our campsite on the banks of the Ruaha River, on the edge of Udzwungwa Mountains National Park.

Day 11: Baobab Valley/Iringa

This morning we’ll be driving to Iringa, a town in central Tanzania in the Southern Highlands region. On arrival, we’ll make our way to a crafts centre that employs local artists with disabilities. Enjoy a coffee at the café and take a look at souvenirs. We’ll pitch up at camp this afternoon and spend the rest of the day chilling out.

Day 12: Iringa/Chitimba, Malawi

Say farewell to Tanzania today as we hop back on the bus and make the nine-hour drive into Chitimba, Malawi. We’ll pull up alongside Lake Malawi and take in the gobsmackingly beautiful views from our campsite on Chitimba Beach across the lake and mountains.

Day 13: Chitimba/Kande Beach

From Chitimba, we’ll make our way south to Kande Beach – still on Lake Malawi, but a five-hour drive away! Yes, Lake Malawi is huge, so huge in fact, that it stretches over three countries!Spend the afternoon relaxing by the riverside and taking in your beautiful surroundings.

Day 14: Kande Beach

Enjoy some free time to go snorkelling, swimming, or simply relax on the lakeshore soaking up some sun today. Later on, we’ll head into the village to enjoy dinner with a local family in their home for a wonderful insight on daily life here.

Day 15: Kande Beach/Chipata, Zambia

Crossing another country border today, we’ll make the journey from Malawi into Zambia as we drive the 400km journey to Chipata. Let your hair down and enjoy a bit of daytime shopping followed by plenty of eating with a few drinks with the rest of the group this evening.

Day 16: Chipata/South Luangwa

Leaving Chipata this morning, we’ll make our way to Mfuwe and arrive at our next campsite by lunchtime. You’re free to do as much or as little as you like this afternoon. Why not go on a tribal textile and village tour? Or perhaps you’d like to visit South Luangwa to go on a safari drive.

Day 17: South Luangwa

You’ll get to enjoy some more free time today with a day in South Luangwa National Park. Known for its abundant wildlife, the best way to see the park’s incredible animals, is on a guided walking tour. Step foot in the park’s savannah and look out for hundreds of bird species, elephants, giraffes, and hippos.

Day 18: South Luangwa/Lusaka

We’ll make thejourney to Lusaka from South Luangwa today, arriving late afternoon. We’ll be camping at a farm just outside the capital for the night, so chill out beside the pool, go and say hello to the resident zebras, buffalo, and springbok, or chill out with a few drinks at the onsite bar.

Day 19: Lusaka/Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Continuing our journey across Zambia, we’ll cross the border into Zimbabwe and head to our next destination, close by to the spectacular Victoria Falls. You’ll have the opportunity to go and see the falls this afternoon.

Day 20-21: Victoria Falls

Spend the next couple of days really getting to know your way around Victoria Falls; both the town and the thundering cascades. Go bungee jumping, white water rafting, take a helicopter ride over the falls, zipline across the Zambezi, or jump on a bridge swing!

Day 22: Victoria Falls/Kasane, Botswana

We’ll cross another country border into Botswana today, where we’ll be staying in the town of Kasane, close to Chobe National Park. This afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the national park with a guided day trip.

Day 23: Kasane/Gweta

Before we leave Kasane, you might want to fit in one last safari adventure with a morning drive alongside the Chobe River, where you’ll see all sorts of wildlife from the surrounding grasslands and in the river itself. Later on, we’ll travel south to Gweta.

Day 24: Gweta/Maun

We’ll head further south to Maun today where you’ll have the opportunity to go on an optional but highly recommended scenic flight across the delta to catch sight of hippos, elephants, and buffalo all enjoying the winding water channels that run through the vast wilderness.

Day 25: Maun/Okavango Delta

We’ll make our way to the dock today to climb into a traditional dugout canoe (mokoro) to paddle deep into the Okavango Delta. A couple of hours later, we’ll arrive at our very basic but atmospheric bush camp. Walk through your surroundings and spot various local wildlife and bird species.

Day 26: Maun/Ghanzi

Heading back through the delta by canoe again this morning, we’ll make our way back to Maun before making the journey to Ghanzi, our next stop. You’ll have the opportunity to walk through the Kalahari Desert and meet the local San bushmen. Learn survival skills for the wilderness and learn how the San tribe adapted to live in the desert.

Day 27: Ghanzi/Windhoek, Namibia

Crossing the border into Namibia today, we’ll head to the country’s capital, Windhoek. You might want to take a look around and visit places like the Alte Feste fortress and museum, check out the Reiterdenkmal monument, or walk the trails and see the wildlife at the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve.

Day 28: Windhoek/Etosha National Park

We’ll start the day with a visit to the Penduka Village Restaurant & Shop that helps support the local community. We’ll grab some lunch and then make our way to Etosha National Park. Spend the afternoon spotting rhinos, elephants, giraffe, zebra, lions and hyenas in the national park.

Day 29: Etosha National Park

Enjoy a whole day’s safari! More than 100 mammal species call Etosha National Park home, and today you’ll get the chance to spot a huge number of animals. We’ll head over to the salt pan as well, to get a good look at the huge array of birds from pelicans to flamingos.

Day 30: Etosha National Park/Damaraland

This morning, why not go on a safari drive to take a last look at Etosha before we head off to Damaraland? On arrival, go on an optional prehistoric rock engravings tour with a guide. You’ll get to see rock engravings made during the early stone age, almost 5,000 years ago.

Day 31: Damaraland/Spitzkoppe

We’ll spend the morning in Damaraland to visit the brilliant Living Museum to learn more about the lost culture of the Damara people before we hit the road again to drive to our Spitzkoppe bush camp, where you’ll have fantastic views across the desert and of the huge granite peaks that pepper the horizon.

Day 32-33: Swakopmund

Leaving Spitzkoppe on day 32, we’ll travel to Swakopmund and get settled at our lodge before heading out to explore the historic town. There’s plenty to do here, so over the next couple of days, why not go quad biking, jump out of a plane on a tandem skydive, or go on a guided cultural tour of the city?

Day 34-35: Namib Desert

On day 34, we’ll head from Swakopmund into the Namib Desert, where we’ll be camping for the next couple of days. Take a guided walk of the local area, explore the Sesriem Canyon and the Sossusvlei Dunes, and then climb up Dune 45 for some incredible views.

Day 36: Namib Desert/Fish River Canyon

From the Namib Desert, we’ll travel between nine and ten hours to get to Fish River Canyon – the largest canyon in Africa, where we’ll get to take in some breathtaking sights before standing on the rim to watch the sun setting.

Day 37: Fish River Canyon/Gariep (Orange) River, South Africa

Leaving Fish River Canyon today, we’ll jump back onboard the tour bus and travel into the final country on our itinerary, South Africa. Enjoy some free time on Orange River this afternoon to go swimming or canoeing.

Day 38: Orange River/Cederberg

Take a final dip on the cooling waters of the Orange River this morning before packing up your gear and heading off to Cederberg through the stunning Western Cape landscape. On arrival, explore the local area before going on an optional wine tasting tour to sample a selection of local wines.

Day 39: Cederberg/Cape Town

We’ll begin the day with a trip to the local Khwattu San Culture and Education Centre to learn a bit more about San culture and history before making tracks and travelling to Cape Town. This evening, we’ll head out into the city for a final night with the whole group.

Day 40: Cape Town

There aren’t any activities laid out on the schedule today, so you’re free to depart whenever you like. But, there is so much to see and do in Cape Town, so we would highly recommend staying in the city for a couple of days if you can.

Please note activities and itineraries are subject to change.

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What's Included

39 nights' accommodation

37 breakfasts, 32 lunches, 26 dinners

All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Knowledgeable tour leaders

Experience driver

Onboard cook

Penduka Village restaurant and shop visit in Windhoek

Visit to a Tribal Textiles Market and cafe in Mfuwe

Khwattu San Culture and Education Centre visit

Kande Beach local dinner

Entrances and wildlife safari drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Camping in Africa is truly an adventure. You will be able to get off the beaten track to get a first-hand experience of the beautiful wilderness and nature. While camping, we’ll be staying at designated campsites in national parks and outside towns. Campsite facilities in southern Africa are generally good but can be basic in certain places. There will be flush toilets, showers (outdoors, some with simple reed enclosures), washing facilities, and telephones available. Warm water is available at most sites, but it is not guaranteed.You’ll be staying in good quality, durable, industry-standard 2-person safari canvas tents. The rest of the time, we’ll stay in shared rooms at hostels, hotels, or guesthouses. Each accommodation will be basic but clean and comfortable and close to all amenities in the local area.

All included meals will be prepared from fresh local produce. The majority of the food shopping will be done before the trip departs, and fresh goods, such as meat, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products, will be bought en route during tripsto supermarkets, local shops, and markets. Breakfasts will generally consist of breads and cereals, if time allows, a warm breakfast may be prepared. Many lunches will be provided en-route and will be light meals such as sandwiches and/or salads. All evening meals will be freshly-prepared hot meals and will consist of a variety of continental and local dishes.Our cook will organise meal preparation and take charge of a lot of the cooking, but you’ll also be expected to help out with meals from time to time and dish-washing, as will everyone in the group. Please let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements at time of booking. Please note, all bottled drinking water will be at your own expense. We recommend budgeting USD235-305 for meals not included in the trip.

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Flights

To get a flight quote simply use the form below, or contact our fantastic flights team on 01892 277037.

Arrival Information

You will need to arrange your flight to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya, in time to make your welcome meeting at 6pm on day one of the itinerary. Your tour ends on day 40 in Cape Town, South Africa, so you'll need to arrange onward or return travel from Cape Town International Airport (CPT). There are no activities scheduled for the last day, so you're free to depart at any time.

To arrange your flights, contact our fantastic flights team on 01892 277037 or email them at [email protected] They will be able to search for the best flight offers to your chosen destinations, so you can plan and organise your trip in one place. Just make sure you give them your full name, as stated in your passport, along with your chosen departure dates, return dates, and any other details you want to include.

It is important that once you have booked your flights you add these details to your online account or alternatively you can contact us with your departure date, the flight number and arrival time at your destination.

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Eligibility & FAQ's

The minimum age for this trip is 18 years and the maximum age is 39.

Kenya

You will need a visa to enter Kenya. You can either get a visa on arrival at the airport, or before you travel. To minimise time spent queuing at the airport, get a visa before you travel. You can apply for single entry and transit visas on the e-visas website. For other types of visa, apply at the nearest Kenyan High Commission or Embassy.

Tanzania

All British passport holders need a tourist or business visa to enter Tanzania. You should get one from the Tanzanian High Commission before you travel.

Botswana

British nationals do not need a visa to enter Botswana for stays of up to 90 days. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Botswana.

Malawi

You will need a visa to enter Malawi, we highly recommend you obtain a visa from the Malawi High Commission before travelling, although UK citizens are able to obtain a visa on arrival. Please ensure you have two completely blank consecutive pages in your passport for immigration stamps and that your passport has at least six months' validity left on it following your planned return date.

Zambia

British passport holders need a visa to enter Zambia. You can get a visa from the Zambian High Commission in London before you travel. Single and double entry visit visas are available at all ports of entry, but multi-entry visas are not.For further information about entry requirements visit the website of the Zambian High Commission in London or visit Zambia Department of Immigration.

Zimbabwe

You will need a visa to enter Zimbabwe, which you can obtain from the Zimbabwe High Commission before travelling, although UK citizens will be able to obtain a visa on arrival. Please ensure you have two completely blank consecutive pages in your passport for immigration stamps.

Namibia

Although British nationals can enter Namibia for a holiday or private visit of up to 90 days without a visa, there have been cases where visitors have only been given permission to stay for periods much shorter than 90 days, sometimes as short as only 7 or 10 days. Before leaving the immigration desk in the airport arrivals hall, check that you have been given permission to stay in Namibia for the duration of your intended visit up to the maximum allowable of 90 days and that you have been given a correctly dated entry stamp by Namibian Immigration officials, as this will be checked on departure.

South Africa

Nationals of the EU, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand don't require a visa to enter South Africa, though South African Immigration does ask that you have two completely blank consecutive pages in your passport. As long as you hold a valid passport (and a valid return ticket) you will be granted a temporary visitor's permit on arrival.

How Do I Get To The Starting Accommodation In Nairobi?

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is about 20km from downtown and your hotel. There are a number of different ways to get into the city. The dedicated airport bus takes about 40min at 5USD/£3.50, but we’d recommend an airport taxi. This can be booked either inside the airport at the information desk, or outside of the terminal.It should cost approximately 20USD/£14.

Is It Customary To Tip In Africa?

As with most countries, tipping is expected in response to good service, but is not compulsory. The gesture serves as an expression of appreciation and amounts given are up to you. The best way to tip someone who has served the whole group is to plan in advance, and not rush when it comes to saying goodbye. Group together and put your tips into an envelope, and then present the gift to the recipient(s) as a group. A guide for tipping amounts are: Tour leaders: 5-8USD/£3.50-£8.60 (per day, per person) - Supply Crew (Serengeti): 2-5USD/£1.40-3.50 (per day) - Local guides: 2-3USD/£1.40-£2.10 (per day) - Safari Guide/Driver: 2-3USD/£1.40-£2.10 (per day) - Restaurant Staff: 10-15% of cost of bill - Okavango Delta polers: 50-100BWP/£3.60-£7.30

Do I Need Any Vaccinations?

We’re not qualified to offer you medical advice, so you should visit your GP well ahead of time to find out what inoculations you might need. Remember to tell them exactly where you’re travelling to as vaccination and medication requirements vary between different regions. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough of any prescribed medication to see you through the duration of your trip.

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Dates & Prices

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